TAHUNA FLOODING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5325, 12 September 1928, Page 1

TAHUNA FLOODING.

INSPECTION BY HON. A. D. McLEOD WIDENING WAIKAKA CUT. Representations to. the Minister of Lands, the Han, A. D. McLeod, concerning the, flooding of the la,nd ath jqin>ing the upper reaches of the Piako River were made by the njewlyconstituted Tahuna Drainage Board on the visit of the Minister recently. ■Mr E. R. Whitechurch, chairman of th Board, pointed out that drainage rates had been collected for eighteen year?, but the position regarding flooding had not been improved, but was becoming worse. The time had come: when something should be done to the river, tq increase the facilities for. getting the water away. It was therefore urged very strongly that the Waikaka cut, which cuts off a big bend between Kaiher.e and Patetonga landings, (he widened! to at least 150 feot as recommended 1 by the Commission, which investigated Patetonga flooding some years ago. Mr E. Taylor, Lands Drainage engineer, stated that to- carry out the Commission’s recommendations would ■entail a.n expenditure of £300,000; Mr- Whiteehurch said that that would embrace the, whole scheme to Ng.atea, which they wore not asking for. Mr. Macmorron stated 1 that it would be of no benefit to widen the Wailtaka, canal alone. The widening would nst give beneficial results. The whols programme would hn.ve to. be carried out to make a material d'lffeirence. Mr F. W. Walters barracked Mr Taylor that he lopked after the Hauraki Plains too well,' and was apparently afraid that if provision was made to get the headwaters away his “Garden of Eden” would be Spoilt. He argued that the granting of the request would nc : t detrimentally affect the lower reaches of the Piako, but would benefit 39;000 acres of deep peat in the large area/from Springdale to the junction of the. Waitoja. and Piako rivers-, and also the properties abo|ut Patetonga. Mr McLeod said he knew that the linei of least resistance to a Government net realising its full responsibility would' be to say—doi it. But if he said this, what would happen. ? He would hesitate to do things in that way, when his engineers said that certain things would happen. He did not know whether a.n outside engineer should not be called in; in conjunction With the departmental officer to projbe 'the difficulty. The position would not apparently improve very materially unjtil the £300',000 ! scheme was carried c.u.t, according, tq his engineers. Mr. Walters : We: are quite satisfied v<ith the Government engineer. Mr Whitechurch .agreed. Mr Taylor said the cost of widening the cut to 100 feet would not be. more than £lO,OOO. Mr Walters : It would be considerably less. The Minister : It is a lot to spend on an experiment. The Minister said he. was bound to say that what a layman advocatted was an experiment. to whether, he was to be advised by engineer or laymen. It was a matter, of respOinsibility, and the reputations of the enjgi,peers had to be cojnjs.idered. If. the department overrode the engineers and carried out the work the responsibility wo,uld be on the engineers. If it wa,s' thought that the opinion of the district, which hadi ample opportunity of formulating itself by experience, was that improvements would accrue, this fact would justify the Government overriding the opinion of its engineers. He would go fully 'into the 'matter with his officers on his return to Wellington, and reach a 'decision as soon as possible. “ You can re,st assured that when effojrts to improve the land have been, made on such a scale as I haviei seen to-day ,tha.t the Government will do everything in its power to give assistance,” said the Minister.